Method and system for automatically calibrating control logic of a vehicle control system

Abstract

A non-volatile RAM stores a selectable trim indicator which, in turn, is used to select one of a plurality tables of trim constant data from read-only memory. The selected table of trim constant data is loaded into working memory of a microprocessor-based control unit to thereby calibrate control logic of an automotive ABS for the vehicle in which the control unit is mounted.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A method for automatically calibrating control logic of a vehicle control system including a vehicle-mounted, microprocessor-based control unit having a first memory, an addressable second memory, and a working third memory, the method comprising the steps of: loading a selectable indicator into the first memory;   loading a plurality of calibration tables into the second memory wherein each calibration table has a unique address and contains calibration data for a specific group of vehicles;   addressing one of the calibration tables based on the selectable indicator; and   loading the one of the calibration tables into the working third memory for automatically calibrating the control logic according to the vehicle in which it is mounted.   
     
     
       2. The method as claimed in claim 1 wherein the first memory is a non-volatile memory. 
     
     
       3. The method as claimed in claim 2 wherein the non-volatile memory is non-volatile RAM. 
     
     
       4. The method as claimed in claim 3 wherein the second memory is read-only memory. 
     
     
       5. The method as claimed in claim 1 wherein the calibration data is trim constant data and the selectable indicator has a value which is used to determine which calibration table to use. 
     
     
       6. The method as claimed in claim 1 further comprising the step of resetting the control unit after the step of loading the selected indicator into the first memory and prior to the step of addressing. 
     
     
       7. The method as claimed in claim 1 wherein the first memory has a plurality of storage locations and wherein the step of loading the selectable indicator includes the step of storing the selectable indicator into a plurality of locations of the first memory to obtain redundancy. 
     
     
       8. The method as claimed in claim 7 further comprising the step of comparing the value of the selectable indicator in each of the plurality of locations and wherein the step of addressing is based on the step of comparing. 
     
     
       9. A method for manufacturing and automatically calibrating control logic of a vehicle control system including a vehicle-mounted, microprocessor-based control unit having a non-volatile RAM with a plurality of storage locations, an addressable read-only memory, and a working third memory, the method comprising the steps of: loading a plurality of calibration tables into the read-only memory wherein each calibration table has a unique address and contains trim constant data for a particular group of vehicles;   loading a selectable trim indicator into a plurality of locations of the non-volatile RAM to obtain redundancy;   resetting the control unit;   comparing the value of the selectable indicator in each of the plurality of locations;   addressing one of the calibration tables based on the step of comparing; and   loading the one of the calibration tables into the working third memory for automatically calibrating the control logic of the control unit according to the vehicle in which it is mounted.   
     
     
       10. A system for automatically calibrating control logic of a vehicle control system including a vehicle-mounted, microprocessor-based control unit including an addressable memory and a working memory, the system comprising: a non-volatile memory for storing a selectable indicator; and   a plurality of addressable calibration tables stored in the addressable memory wherein each calibration table has a unique address and contains calibration data which corresponds to characteristics of a particular group of vehicles, one of the calibration tables being selected by the selectable indicator to automatically load the calibration data required to calibrate the control logic of the control unit for the vehicle on which the control unit is mounted into the working memory to thereby automatically calibrate the control logic.   
     
     
       11. The system as claimed in claim 10 wherein non-volatile memory is non-volatile RAM. 
     
     
       12. The system as claimed in claim 11 wherein the non-volatile memory has storage locations and wherein the selectable indicator is stored in a plurality of the storage locations in the non-volatile memory to obtain redundancy. 
     
     
       13. The system as claimed in claim 12 further comprising means for comparing the value of the selectable indicator in each of the plurality of locations wherein the one of the tables is selected based upon the comparison. 
     
     
       14. The system as claimed in claim 10 wherein the addressable memory is read-only memory. 
     
     
       15. The system as claimed in claim 10 wherein the calibration data is trim constant data and the selectable indicator ha a value which is used to determine which calibration table to use. 
     
     
       16. A system for automatically calibrating control logic of a vehicle control system including a vehicle-mounted, microprocessor-based control unit including an addressable read-only memory and a working memory, the system comprising: a non-volatile RAM including a plurality of storage locations for storing a selectable trim indicator in a plurality of locations thereof to obtain redundancy;   means for comparing the selectable indicator in each of the plurality of locations; and   a plurality of addressable calibration tables stored in the addressable memory wherein each calibration table has a unique address and contains trim constant data which corresponds to characteristics of a particular group of vehicles, one of the calibration tables being selected based upon the comparison to automatically load the trim constant data required to calibrate the control logic of the control unit for the vehicle on which the control unit is mounted into the working memory to thereby automatically calibrate the control logic of the control unit.